[Doglips]

Welp I love this state.....DUI laws will kills you but in a plan with a full load of passangers...welp heck drinking and flying is just cool.

Pilots accused of being drunk in cockpit to go free in Florida

MIAMI - The state cannot prosecute two America West pilots who were fired after taking the controls of their jet after a night of heavy drinking, a federal judge ruled today.

State prosecutors must drop charges of drunken operation of a jet against pilot Thomas Cloyd, 45, and co-pilot Christopher Hughes, 42, and cannot take any other action based on their arrests in July 2001, U.S. District Judge Patricia Seitz said.

The decision may mean no criminal prosecution because the pilots' blood-alcohol results were above the state drunkenness standard of 0.08 but below the federal standard of 0.10.

Attorney James Rubin said he told his client Hughes the news and "of course he was happy." Cloyd's attorney was out of the office and not available for comment.

Assistant Attorney General Richard Polin, who argued for the state, said his office had not decided whether to appeal.

The pilots were at the controls when their Airbus carrying 124 passengers was pushed away from the gate last July. Security guards reported the men smelled of alcohol, and the plane was brought back to the gate.

-- Associated Press

[MikeC]

Was any reason given why? Do the DUI laws not include aircraft? Was it that the officers who made the arrest were out of their jurisdiction?

[Doglips]

Something to do with it being a federal area and the Florida LE had no jursdiction.....the Federal DUI limit is .10 not .08 like Florida...so guess the piolets blew less than .10 but more than 08 so drunk by Florida but NOT fedeal standards......so the moral of the story is the Piolots could not legaly drive to the airport but could fly you and your family once they got their......I feel so safe now....but hay muslims dont drink so atleast the piolts were not terrorist.

[MikeC]

OK, now let's get this straight.. Comrade Klinton BLACKMAILED the states to lower their BAC from 0.10 to 0.08 or loose Federal highway funds BUT the Federal limit is still 0.10..... that makes sense